Information on TSW

[A Crusty Demon]

Hi i am currently considering applying to be attached in TSW i am a Gen Tech M and i was just wandering if anyone on here could give me some gen on it, for example where i may be based and the type of tasks i would be carrying out.

Cheers.

 

[jack brew]

You'll be based at HMP Stafford (Yes it is still there)

When the wing is good, it's good, when it's bad, it's fcuking wank!!!!

Some of the worst man management I have ever experienced comes from the SAS wannabes in the main building. But as a Mech you'll be apart from all of that.

Oh and Bergan runs on a Friday! 10k, boots and 35lb bergan.

Enjoy!

 

[RAF Bird]

You'll be based at HMP Stafford (Yes it is still there)

When the wing is good, it's good, when it's bad, it's fcuking wank!!!!

Some of the worst man management I have ever experienced comes from the SAS wannabes in the main building. But as a Mech you'll be apart from all of that.

Oh and Bergan runs on a Friday! 10k, boots and 35lb bergan. - and a stack for the weekend once your done. Good times.

Enjoy!

JB is so right the 'Wing' can go from awesome to sh1te with the posting in or out of one person depending on how mega they are and how much they care about morale in their troops. I had some of the best times there but I also met two of the most god awful people I have ever met in my time in the RAF who were nothing more than bullies. Again as a mech out of the main building and with your own seniors you tend to be out of that a bit. Apart from that - brilliant location for getting anywhere that side of the country and awesome for getting all that extra LSA.

 

[done and dusted]

JB is so right the 'Wing' can go from awesome to sh1te with the posting in or out of one person depending on how mega they are and how much they care about morale in their troops.

Avoid it like the plague!!!!!!! Wing Managers ****, Wing WO a tosser, SNCOs still all SAS Wanabees plus throw in Army who run the base making their own rules by the day.

You can always stack early on a Friday without the Bergen run as no one has a clue who is in or out of work most of the time.

 

[stacker4ever]

As a Gen Tech M you will be working in the GSE/MTMS hanger with the rest of the Tech tradesmen. From what i have seen it seems a pretty good section to work in although they do seem to get hit with alot of OOA, this may be because of the trade. They do try to get the guys to deploy on the wing dets where possible. Its one of these places that you either enjoy or not. Done & Dusted has his views but there is no longer the SAS wanna be's around any more and it may not be his job preference but on the whole i dont think its as bad as he is making out. Some people just dont appreciate that as a field unit the job entails alot of deployments out of base (strange that). Not everyones cup of tea but it would be best getting in contact with the GSE section and ask the guys themselves.

 

[A Crusty Demon]

Can anyone hee just confirm th location of TSW please?

 

[FatDrunkAndStupid]

Stafford mate

 

[441staines]

TSW

TSW

Avoid it like the plague!!!!!!! Wing Managers ****, Wing WO a tosser, SNCOs still all SAS Wanabees plus throw in Army who run the base making their own rules by the day.

You can always stack early on a Friday without the Bergen run as no one has a clue who is in or out of work most of the time.

Blimey, I thought I was anti about those clowns, but you have surpassed me. Love the bit about the SAS, dont forget the para wings though.

 

[Norman the Storeman]

Blimey, I thought I was anti about those clowns, but you have surpassed me. Love the bit about the SAS, dont forget the para wings though.

I do chuckle when I see people run TSW down. In my experience they ususally fall into 2 catergories:

1. Never been posted onto the Wing & live vicariously through other peoples stories & rumours. Normally don't possess the minerals to do the job anyway.

2. Completed tours on TSW but never contributed, always expected the NCOs to sort out FD, sport etc for them, walked around thinking they were special forces & thought it was a god given right to get stood down early...every day when not on ops/Ex.

Fortunately these types were few & far between but they were 'A' class throbbers!

BTW. Careful with the naming & shaming...bad form old boy, what?

 

[Norman the Storeman]

Hi i am currently considering applying to be attached in TSW i am a Gen Tech M and i was just wandering if anyone on here could give me some gen on it, for example where i may be based and the type of tasks i would be carrying out.

Cheers.

During my years on TSW the TG5 Ginger Beers (& even the MTMS fitters) were some of the best lads to work with. They had some mental SNCOs but were a close, tight knit group who looked after each other and adopted stackers if we gave them shiney things from stores and corrected their spelling mistakes for them. Oh yeah and then there was Wrenchy but he was a lecky after all (love ya really) DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[superstacker]

In hindsight one of the best tours I ever did. It is not an easy job, but I've worked with some of the best lads I know. The social side of things began to decline towards the end of my tour as it got busier, and to be honest we should have had more manpower.

The amount of experience that can be crammed into a single tour is immense, plus the extra responsibilities that can be placed upon you. Yes the time away could be long, yes we used to get messed about a lot. However this happens everywhere in the RAF.

My only struggle was re-adjusting to life in a blue suit afterwards

 

[scootbog]

Rumour going around TG5 is the MTM is a tit and a bully.

 

[Hot-Refueller]

TSW

TSW

TSW is like Marmite, you either love it or loathe it. I've had three tours on the Wing and had some of the best experiences of my military career to date. Stafford is a cracking night out as well! JB, be very careful what you say about folk on the Wing, I could equally say that of many people i've met in main Supply but don't resort to naming and shaming. If you don't like it, you know what you can do.... Support to Strike.

 

[done and dusted]

Let's face it in the first place POL duties do not require the sharpest pencils in the box. With regards to Logistics skills, TSW only deal with a single product that rarely falls out of spec despite changes in climatic conditions. Anyway throw a decent filter between the fuel source and a delivery point and the crap or water which may have built up will be taken out. US forces use a similiar philosphy to this and have no problems. So here come the rub.

Invent a training course that lasts for several weeks delivered by instructors who mostly wear Para wings without any external validation and a self-licking lollipop has been allowed to grow unchecked for many years. Back this up by a bunch of half-wit officers who also attend a simliar course run by the Army who then go on to run around after the SAS volunteering to be on stand by 24/7 to carry out death or glory missions!!!!

Self-licking lollipop = Promotion, MBEs and lots of unwarranted Army kit. Anyone who speaks out is seen to be disloyal and immediatley seen as a threat to the lollipop.

Moral of the story, good job for TG 18 that all the blunt pencils are in the one place.

PS Did 3 tours at three different ranks. Pretty hard not to shine when you have your pencil sharpener.

 

[superstacker]

I do agree that the BFOC/TSOC training seems like a really long and pointless course to some. I do remember a certain SNCO from the training team that used to deliver the course, and after transfering to the Ops flights he had to complete the course as a student.

My problem was not with BFOC or TSOC (whatever it is called now), my problem was with the continuation training which was supposed to be ANNUAL being completed sometimes 4 months apart to "bring you in line". Up until a certain point the CT training showed little resemblance to current operations, with a regiment phase covering all manner of site clearances, patrols and incident reports that I never came close to doing or using in the real world.

This being said, the regiment and training section were top notch, I was only disappointed that the regiment guys didn't get the opportunity to deploy out to a TSW det to see how we operate and what training would be the most beneficial.

The ops flights were always busy, with plenty of short notice jobs to be completed. As a young single lad, this did not pose a problem for me, and i was glad of the experiences. Over time though it does start to grind people down though, as you could never plan your life from week to week. You can't really blame the Flight Admin for this though, as these taskings are accepted at a higher level.

Being on R1 (24 hours NTM) was a pretty pointless exercise for a month as in the event of an R1 callout they would select guys from the flights that they liked or were in the clique.

Despite all the moaning however if I could go back, knowing what I know now, I would still have volunteered.

 

[Black Magic V]

Had a great time on the wing (00 - 04) but everything changes with a few personality's leaving it can go down hill rapidly. I would consider going back on as the job was a scream but it wouldn't fit in with my spend more time with the family plan!

 

[ozzie]

wow alot of bad words about the wing.....

I was posted to TSW from Akrotiri in june 2009 and i asked to go there, i left in oct 2011 on promotion.

I didnt work on the Ops Flights i worked in MT and had some really good mates in GSE/MTMS Shed. While i was there i had times when i hated it and times when i loved it as with any posting!!! If you enjoy the greener side of the RAF its deffinatly a posting for you.

Despite what some people say about TSW there are some top lads and lasses there tg5, 6 and 18. Sure it is out of trade to a certain extent for stackers and i know alot of good lads that get posted away and have trouble working in a store and r and d or scaf etc, but is that because thy forgot the trade or simply because they are used to working in the out doors and getting dirty.

TSW is a job that when you do it you can see the results form infront of you. As a Mech you wont go away as often as the tg6 and 18 lot but you will still go away and be expected to muck in with the refuels and keep all the vehicles, genny's and fuel pumps serviceable.

I have never seen a non infantry section as close knit and as family like as TSW, they guys really do look after their own. Know i am working with blue suits i really wish i didnt leave and stayed were i was, i didnt realise what i had in the sense of extremly hard working people along side me untill it was too late.

 

[dahonis]

First and foremost, TSW is not a trade group, its a way of life.The training is for a reason, like any other course it may seem pointless, but it has to be done.I first got to TSW in '97, went back again in '02, still loved it, loved the way of life and my best times of the mob were there.My time is up soon, but just found out I'm coming back for one last tour....its not called "living the dream" for 'nowt....and I will be the old hasbeen walking around with my "wings" on but doing the same job as everyone else who I have massive respect for...see you soon folks !!!

 

[done and dusted]

First and foremost, TSW is not a trade group, its a way of life. I will be the old hasbeen walking around with my "wings" on but doing the same job as everyone else who I have massive respect for...see you soon folks !!!

Bet you have got your DIT course booked already.

PS Don't forget your pecil sharpner !